Podcast

Borgo Pass Horror Podcast

Arts, Film Reviews, TV & Film, Visual Arts

Hosts Livio Merino from Kansas City and Jim Towns from Los Angeles humbly bring to you thorough, exciting, and fun reviews of all your vintage horror movie favorites. Our #1 focus, besides having a total blast talking about horror, is researching and delivering to the listeners little known and obscure facts about their favorite movies. The hosts have a special fondness for the Universal Studio films from the 1920's to the 1950's. This podcast is extremely interactive with the listeners thru social media, and are always open to movie suggestions and feedback!

Episodes
136
Releases
Every two weeks
Typical length
1 hr 40 min
On air since
2021
Latest episode
2 months ago

Episodes

136 episodes, newest first

  1. The Man Who Reclaimed his Head

    Show notes

    Claude Rains and Lionel Atwill co-star in this 1934 Universal war drama that while technically isn't a monster movie, has its share of monsters in it.

    1 hr 45 min
  2. Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man

    Show notes

    An era comes to an end, as The Borgo Pass Horror Podcast covers the last of the famous (infamous?) 'Meet the Monsters' films starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello--wrapping it up with 1951's "Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man".

    1 hr 45 min
  3. Bedlam

    Show notes

    It's absolute madness as Jim Towns and David Ullman dissect this 1946 Boris Karloff-starring RKO thriller.

    1 hr 48 min
  4. I Was a Teenage Werewolf

    Show notes

    The fur is flying as Monster Kid par excellence Frank Dietz joins Jim in the podcast cave to review this 1957 study of adolescent lycanthropy, starring a very young Michael Landon.

    1 hr 16 min
  5. The War of the Gargantuas

    Show notes

    Fellow Monster Kid Tony Salvaggio teams up with Jim to dive deep into Toho Studios' 1966 masterpiece THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS.

    2 hr 4 min
  6. The Beast with Five Fingers

    Show notes

    Jim & Livio return to the Borgo Pass! Their subject: Warner Bros.' THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS, from 1946.

    1 hr 45 min
  7. The Leopard Man

    Show notes

    Recurring guest co-hosts David Ullman & Chris Sahlin team-up to fill in for Jim, and explore the dark depths of The Val Lewton-produced THE LEOPARD MAN.

    1 hr 28 min
  8. Night Key

    Show notes

    Come listen as Jim Towns and guest co-host Ian Bates from universalstudiosmonsters dig into this lesser-known Universal Boris Karloff thriller from 1937, co-starring Samuel S. Hinds as Karloff's nemesis!

    1 hr 39 min
  9. The Black Camel

    Show notes

    Hosts Jim Towns and Chris Sahlin dig into the oldest surviving Charlie Chan mystery, Fox's 1931 whodunit THE BLACK CAMEL, starring Warner Oland and Bela Lugosi.

    1 hr 47 min
  10. The Most Dangerous Game

    Show notes

    *SPOILERS* it's people.

    Jim Towns and David Ullman take a dangerous trip to Count Zaroff's Island to talk about this 1932 RKO thriller, which was made by much of the same creative team as KING KONG.

    1 hr 35 min
  11. The Giant Gila Monster

    Show notes

    A sheriff and a scrappy group of small-town hot rodders match wits with a gigantic reptile in Ray Kellogg's indie masterpiece The Giant Gila Monster! Fan-favorite co-host Tony Salvaggio returns in our first episode of 2026.

    2 hr 8 min
  12. The Bishop's Wife

    Show notes

    Please enjoy this little holiday gift from your friends at the Borgo Pass Horror Podcast- a bonus episode where Jim Towns and guest host Ian Bates discuss the very under appreciated Christmas film The Bishop's Wife starring Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young, and co-starring classic horror stars Elsa Lanchester (Bride of Frankenstein), Sara Haden (She-Wolf of London) among other talents!

    1 hr 46 min
  13. The Fly

    Show notes

    Happy Halloween!! In this year-end episode, Livio returns to discuss the Vincent Price classic from 1958 "The Fly". The film stars David Hedison, Herbert Marshall, and Patricia Owens. This is a late 50's classic that blends science fiction and horror together, offering a great and tragic story behind it all. Enjoy your Halloween this year and listen to us discuss "The Fly"!

    1 hr 34 min
  14. Abbott & Costello meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon

    Show notes

    In this special bonus episode of Borgo Pass Horror Podcast, frequent co-host Chris Salin visits the LA basement podcast studio, and he and Jim record an impromptu episode about the 1954 Colgate Comedy Hour episode which brought Lou Costello face to face with the Gill Man, hot on the heels of the release of Creature From the Black Lagoon!

    24 min
  15. Terror By Night

    Show notes

    Chris Sahlin joins Jim Towns down in the Borgo Pass podcast cave to discuss one of his favorite installments from Universal's run of Sherlock Holmes films... Terror By Night!

    1 hr 17 min
  16. Supernatural

    Show notes

    Ian Bates returns to the Pass to join Jim in a deep dive into celebrated actress Carole Lombard's only horror film: Supernatural!

    1 hr 29 min
  17. The Invisible Woman

    Show notes

    A chapter closes, as the the Borgo Pass Horror Podcast reviews the last of the true Universal Monsters films still on the shelf: 1940's The Invisible Woman starring Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, John Howard and Charles "Charlie" Ruggles.

    Joining Jim on this episode is first-time co-host Bill Fleck: classic horror writer and blogger, and author of the books "Chaney's Baby" and "Chaney's Audition".

    1 hr 32 min
  18. Borgo Pass Horror Podcast AMA with Livio Merino

    Show notes

    Get to know Borgo Pass Horror Podcast's #1 co-host, Livio Merino!

    21 min
  19. The Spiral Staircase

    Show notes

    Recurring co-host Chris Sahlin introduces Jim Towns to one of his favorite gothic thrillers of the 40s: RKO's 1946 film The Spiral Staircase, featuring a great performance by Ethel Barrymore and a supporting role by none other than the Bride of Frankenstein herself, Elsa Lanchester!

    1 hr 47 min
  20. Fog Island

    Show notes

    A large spooky mansion on an isolated, foggy island. A dramatic situation with allegations of embezzlement and murder. George Zucco. Lionel Atwill. All the ingredients that classic horror fans yearn for. A PRC production from 1945 features a fun, if not predictable story. Jim & Livio are your tour guides this episode to the ominous, and dangerous Fog Island. A good story, a good supporting cast led by Ian Keith - this is a PRC film that deserves the Borgo Pass treatment!

    1 hr 54 min